SaferGems helps to jail professional criminal

A female jewellery thief who was described in court as a “professional criminal” has been jailed for 12 months, thanks to SaferGems circulating CCTV footage of the woman among police and the UK jewellery industry.

The National Association of Goldsmiths’ organisation helps to raise awareness of jewellery crimes in the UK to help bring criminals to trial and increase communication among jewellers and the various UK police forces.

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In May this year Bacana Adam and an accomplice stole a £28,000 platinum ring set with a 1.25ct flawless diamond from jeweller Necessary Angel in Keswick, Cumbria. In court Adam was described as looking for "soft targets" to steal from.

Ruth Elliot of the Cumbrian Police Force said: “CCTV was seized from the premises and images of the suspects were circulated to SaferGems and all police forces nationwide. Lee Henderson, intelligence officer for SaferGems, viewed the bulletin and viewed the CCTV stills of the suspects. He identified the female suspect and provided the officer in case at Cumbria Constabulary with a witness statement the same day.”

Elliot added that thanks to SaferGems the thief was found on the national database, located in the West Midlands and arrested.

SaferGems held its first retail conference yesterday in Watford. Its chief executive Michael Hoare said: “This is yet another case displaying the value of the SaferGems to the trade. This conviction serves as a great example of how the N.A.G. are providing hands-on support to jewellers across the country.”

The NAG will hold its retail security conference at the Building Research Establishment in Watford tomorrow, October 16, with the theme of loss prevention.